Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy VII : Atonement ❯ Chapter 10 - Running Away from Pain ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: Although I love Sephy with everything inside of me, I don't own him. He belongs to the wonderful people of Squaresoft, along with all of his magical friends.

Author's Note: Another day, another chapter. What will happen next? You'll have to read to find out! Bon appetite. Enjoy. R&R please!

Chapter 10 - Running Away From Pain

He rode for what seemed like days, but it had only been one. He had no idea where he was going, he just headed North, trying to get as far away from Nibelheim and the entire New Continent as possible. He held Stratus' reins tightly and glanced down again at her.

Every time he looked, he couldn't believe his eyes. Her face was perfect, sculpted like a porcelain dolls'. Her eyes were closed and she breathed slowly in her sleep. The pink cloth at he stomach was cut open in the front and back in a small slit, but he had checked for a scar and there was none to be found.

Every once in awhile, he could feel her stir against his body, so he was secretly searching for a town. His body hurt with hunger and he knew she would too as soon as she awoke. The gold chocobo raced swiftly on top of the ocean water, and slowly the Northern Continent could be seen on the horizon. Sephiroth could see the snow-capped mountains just ahead. He recalled a small town up ahead and set out to find it.

His route to find the town took him horribly close to the Northern Crater, and he avoided looking at it when it was in view. The place throbbed with lifestream, and Sephiroth could feel it pulsing in time with his own heart and inside his head. He feared Aeris would feel it too, for she stirred often now, whispering words he couldn't quite make out. As an Ancient, Aeris had the ability to speak with the Planet through the Lifestream. The Ancients, also knows as the Cetra, had all but died out; Aeris had been the only other known Cetra at her death. Now, with Aeris alive again, the Cetra had one more chance, and Sephiroth had made his mind up that he would do everything he could to protect her and that small hope.

As the neared the Northern Crater, Sephiroth got a worse feeling about being there. He found a small town and bought a few things, mostly food and a warm, deep fuschia cloak for Aeris, before immediately setting off, heading away from the Northern Crater. He needed to go somewhere isolated, where no one would know him. He also needed to go where he was near the lifestream. He could think of only one place.

He headed towards Mideel.

Stratus ran easily across the water with incredible speed. Every so often, Sephiroth casted Cure 3 on Aeris, since she still slept and couldn't eat the food he'd brought. Within a day, the chocobo had brought the hallway across the world and they arrived in Mideel.

The lifestream that had seeped up from the Planet those years ago had returned to the ground, but it was much closer to the surface than most other places. The small village of Mideel had been rebuilt, and the small coastal town had returned to normal. Sephiroth rode up to the first villager he saw in town, a middle-aged man wearing fishing gear.

"Is there a hospital or doctor around here?" he asked quickly.

The man eyed him cautiously, taking notice of the unconscious girl in his lap.

"Just over there," he replied, pointing to a small white building down the road. "It ain't half bad either. Saved a blond-haired kid from real bad Mako poisoning a few years back."

Sephiroth nodded. "Thanks."

~ Cloud sure does get around, ~ he thought to himself.

He rode over to the building and dismounted carefully, cradling Aeris in both arms. He politely asked a woman passing by to tie Stratus' reins to a nearby tree, and he walked inside as the woman happily agreed.

There was a nurse sitting behind the desk and she jumped to her feet when she saw him come in carrying Aeris.

"Doctor!" she called. "We have a patient!"

An older man in white scrubs ran in from the opposite room. After seeing Aeris, he quickly ushered Sephiroth into the next room, where he instructed him to lay her on one of the examining tables.

Sephiroth laid her carefully down before kneeling beside the bed. He watched as the doctor removed the cloak he'd bought to keep her warm and hooked Aeris up to an IV.

"Are you her boyfriend?" the doctor asked suddenly.

"Me?" Sephiroth gaped. The doctor nodded. "Oh no, no…I'm just a…friend." Sephiroth pulled his cape around him uncomfortably, feeling the blood rush into his pale face.

~ What's wrong with me!? I'm blushing like a wussy school boy… ~

The doctor chuckled before focusing his concentration on Aeris again.

"How long has she been unconscious?"

"About 60 hours."

"Two and a half days!? How did you keep her alive without food?"

Being careful not to frighten him, he slowly pulled the hilt of his sword from his cape just into view. He quickly pointed out the materia orbs.

"Oh. Restore materia. That's outlawed in most places, but thank goodness you had it with you."

"So how is she?"

The doctor smiled. "She's just in slight shock. She could actually wake up at any moment."

Sephiroth breathed a sigh of relief as the doctor stood. "Thank you."

The doctor nodded. "Just glad I could be of some help."

Sephiroth watched as the doctor silently left the room. Now he could only pray that when Aeris awoke, she would be herself and Jenova would still be very far away.

* * * * * *

Jenova laughed hideously as she dragged Cloud towards the City of the Ancients. Her wounded body was healing rapidly, and she had claimed a new prize that she could easily control; one far more physically powerful that the zombie Ancient she had resurrected. She had failed to reclaim Sephiroth's mind, as she had found no trace of her cells in his body. However, she had captured the one who had destroyed him, and victory was in her grasp.

Scooping Cloud up into her tentacles, she headed for the center building in the city. The hidden stairway was open inside, and Jenova traveled down the sparkling silver staircase into the heart of the Ancient's Capital.

Sitting upon the throne-like platform above the Capital's lake, Jenova lay Cloud upon the marble floor. Jenova smiled evilly as a magical aura sprung up around her. Her tentacles began to shrink, pulling towards her body and she began to form legs, hips, and a thin waist. Long brown hair sprouted from her head and fell around her shoulders. A familiar pink dress appeared on her new figure as an ornately decorated staff materialized in her hand. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of blue, and she was soon the perfect image of the woman Cloud had failed to protect.

Jenova walked to the edge of the platform and chuckled, admiring her new form in the reflection of the water below. "Cloud won't be able to resist me now," she purred in Aeris' gentle voice. "Wake up, my child. You will learn to love and obey me once more."

Author's Note: Aww…Sephy is so cute. Just wait til Aeris wakes up! Muahahaahahaha Reviews please!